A Rose for Lotta
by chochise
Summary: This is my version of what happened after the show ended.


**A ROSE FOR LOTTA**

**my version of what happened next**

I can't believe this, here I am two months shy of my sixteenth birthday and my pa comes running in and yelling at me in front of the lady I was with tonight. Then to add insult to it and to embarrass me, he swatted my rear end on the way out the door. I hope he's happy. I mean, come on, what did I do that was so wrong? All I did was to escort a beautiful woman to dinner after her show. How was I to know that she was initially in on the plot Troy cooked up to kidnap me and hold me for ransom til Pa agreed to supply them with all the timber they needed for their mines? And just where is Adam? It don't take this long to walk out a door. I see Pa and Hoss coming down the steps, boy pa don't look none to happy.

"YOU! You little scamp get on that pony right now before I tan you here in front of God and everybody!" That was Pa yelling as he walked up to me standing beside Cochise.

"Yes sir." was the only thing I could say I knew Pa wouldn't hesitate in delivering what he threatened. Ain't like it would be the first time it happened.

Looking across my horse, I see Hoss sittin' atop Chubb shaking his head at me. "What?" I asked. I still can't understand what all the fuss is about. After all, I am a man and can take care of myself just fine without my family.

Well here comes Mr. Know-it-all, finally. Just look at the smug look on his face. I wonder what he was up to in there. I know what he had better not have been up to. I got dibs on Miss Lotta.

"Let's ride." I hear Pa say, I ain't so sure I wanna ride, cause I know I ain't heard the last of this. Especially after Pa hears about Chinatown. I know what he's gonna say. If I had minded him and not went to town alone it wouldn't have happened. Guess he's kinda right about that. And then the damage to Miss Lotta's room and Hop Lings laundry. I'm sure he'll have the same thoughts on that also. Weighing it all now, I kinda wish I had listened... What's that noise, it sounds like someone yelling...

"JOSEPH!" Yep, you got it Pa was yelling at me.

"Yes sir?" The more polite the better.

"Once the horses are taken care of, you plant yourself on the settee and don't move. We have some things to talk about. "Oh no, Pa's using that all too quiet voice he uses right before he explodes. This don't look good at all. That voice sends tingles from my head all the way down, ending with my backside.

"Yes sir." I guess it might be a wise choice to do exactly as told for a few days. Maybe I ain't pushed to far yet...I hope. I mean I've only broken one of his major rules. That one would be disobedience. Breaking only one of them leaves the chance of talking my way out of a trip to the barn. Guess I'll know in a few minutes, there's the house.

I really don't wanna go in that barn with those three, as mad as they seem, but Cooch can't sleep in my bedroom. I already tried that with the pony I had one time when I was around ten. Pa wasn't very happy about that. Got no choice so I'll just hurry through it.

"Take it easy girl, come on." Cooch is a sensitive animal. She can sense anger, and that ain't in short supply around here tonight.

"Joseph, are you through?" Pa's talking again.

"Yes sir." can't lie to Pa, that would add dishonesty to disobedience. Break two of the three and there ain't no hope. So we start that long walk to the house. I let Pa, Hoss and Adam lead the way, cause my backside is still kinda stinging from that swat in town. Pa sure has gotta hard swing on him. Ain't no wonder he's good with a gun. The man never misses his target.

Well here I sit, on the settee surrounded by my family which are all staring at me. Adam is in his blue chair, and Hoss is sitting on the hearth. But what is really bothering me is the fact that Pa is sitting beside me. That has never been a good sign. It's always better to stay outta his reach when he's this mad. Here comes the lecture.

"Joseph, do you have any idea how dangerous that stunt you pulled was?"

"Sorry Pa. I didn't mean to cause you any worry." I really didn't. The last thing I have ever wanted was to disappoint my Pa.

"Boy, you snuck off from here with a women. One almost old enough to be your mother, I might add. You know the rules we live by here. None of us go into Virginia City alone! You could have gotten yourself hurt or killed. You put all of us in danger. Your brother Adam had to go against a gunfighter that Troy had hired. Your disobedience cause destruction at the hotel, and all over Chinatown, especially at Hop Lings!" Uh oh, Pa stopped talking. This is really goin' bad. He looks like he's thinkin', probably about whether or not to kill me. Hey maybe the old fall back will work, you know the tears.

"I'm sorry Pa, I didn't mean ta worry you. I just thought I was helping Miss Lotta. I didn't know that she was helping Troy." I said as my chin quivered and tears filled my eyes.

"I know you only wanted to help, but you have to learn to follow my orders, and not disobey." This is starting to work, Pa' calming down. I can tell his voice is softer and his eyes are loosing the anger. Besides, ole granite head is rolling his eyes. Just a little more and I'll have Pa swayed on over. Watch the master at work.

"Please don't be mad at me Pa." I say as I allow just one tear to roll down my cheek. Then I drop my head, and listen for the sound I hope for. There it is. I heard Pa sigh. I just won him over again. He's putting his arm around me. Good sign.

"Oh Joseph. Son, I'm not mad at you, you just scared about ten years off my life. When we couldn't find you I thought they had hurt you or worse. I love you son." That's my Pa. Oh I know what cha thinking, and I guess ya right. I did deserve more than a little lecture for what I did, but who can really blame me. After all, look how big my Pa is. A tannin' from him you don't forget none to soon, believe me I know. But at the same time, the big arms he's holding me with right now are so tender and I can feel how much this man loves me. I do feel kinda guilty.

"Thanks Pa. I love ya too." And I do. More than life itself.

"Let's all go get some sleep." Pa says and I know he has got to be worn out. I'm walking with my Pa upstairs while Adam and Hoss follow us up. Hoss never really judges me or gives me a hard time. He understands I don't mean to do the wrong things. I guess I just don't think them through. But ole stiff neck, nosypants, ole granite head Ad... "OWW!"

"That was for scaring the life out of me young man." Pa just swatted me again. I wasn't even over the last one yet, but I don't feel quite as guilty. Glad he told me why, I was starting to think he could hear what I was saying to ya about Adam. Speaking of Adam, boy would I love to knock that smug look off his face. I don't understand why it is that he is always so happy to see me in trouble.

"Sorry Pa." I really am, I'd never do anything to hurt this man. Well were all upstairs and headed to our rooms. I'll be glad to get to bed.

"Oh, Joseph?" Pa's says stopping at his bedroom door, and of course both my nosey brothers had to stop, just to see what he has to say.

"Yes Pa?"

"After breakfast is over, you and I need to have a discussion in the barn about your disobedience, and all the rules you broke today. Good night, son." AWWW! I should have known. Great just what need, now I won't get any sleep. And I wish you'd look at that smirk on Adam's face. Oh great, here he comes to rub my nose in it.

"Didn't work this time did it little boy?" I really hate that attitude of his, and he knows how bad I hate to be called a boy.

"What didn't?" I ask innocently. I know what he's talking about, but there ain't no way I'll let him have the satisfaction of knowing that.

"The tears. Why don't you grow up and act like a man. You're always so quick to inform us that you are." What's he talking about, I am a man, well almost.

"Why don't ya mind ya own business. This is between Pa and me." Sometimes I find it hard to believe we're really brothers.

"It is my business when I spend the better part of my night in town looking for and saving your hide. Now go to bed little boy before I decide to take the strap to you myself for all the trouble you caused Hoss and I...Oh and have pleasant dreams about your upcoming talk with Pa." And Adam says I act like a kid. That was kinda childish in him. Where does he get off threatening me with the strap? It may have happened in the past but it won't happen again...I hope.

Well here I lay, trying to get to sleep. It ain't easy, by no means. Every time I close my eyes I see Pa and his belt. Damn Adam. Good night all.

"Come on short shanks, time to get up for breakfast." That's Hoss calling me for breakfast. OH NO!

THE END

Sept 2004


End file.
